India’s Highest-Paid Nifty 500 Executives: Who Took Home the Biggest Paychecks?

Unveiling the Top Earners of Nifty 500 – Inside the Multi-Crore Paychecks of India’s Leading Executives!

As India’s appraisal season kicks into high gear, many employees are eagerly awaiting their annual raises. But have you ever wondered how much the top executives of India’s largest listed companies are earning? Spoiler alert—it’s staggering!
 

In Financial Year 2024, Nifty 500 companies saw their highest-paid personnel secure multi-crore packages, thanks to performance-linked incentives, business growth, and the fierce competition to retain top talent. With companies focusing on strategic recruitment and competitive compensation, executive pay is reaching new heights.
 

According to Mercer’s Total Remuneration Survey (TRS), employees across India can expect an average salary increase of 9.4 per cent in 2025, while 37 per cent of companies plan to expand their workforce. This growing demand for skilled professionals has led to premium pay and a shift toward performance-based compensation models, with 75 per cent of organizations adopting incentive-linked pay structures.
 

In this article, we take a closer look at who the highest-paid individuals in Nifty 500 companies are, how much they earn, and how the corporate pay landscape is evolving in India.

Source: Trendlyne, Annual Reports

Sandeep Kalra, serving as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Persistent Systems Ltd., receives a remuneration of Rs 7,713.5 lakhs. This represents 0.78 per cent of the company's revenue and 7.05 per cent of its net profit. While substantial, his compensation appears to be a reasonable portion of both the company's revenue and profits, reflecting a balanced approach to executive pay within the IT Consulting & Software industry. His salary increased by 597.9 per cent from FY2021. However, his performance-linked incentive dropped to Rs 2,142 lakhs in FY2024, down from Rs 4,264 lakhs in FY2023.
 

SALIL SATISH PAREKH, holding the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Infosys Ltd., has a remuneration of Rs 6624.6 Lakhs. However, this constitutes only 0.04 per cent of the company's revenue and 0.25 per cent of its net profit. This consisted of a fixed salary component of Rs 747 lakhs, which included a base salary of Rs 700 lakhs and retiral benefits of Rs 47 lakhs. He also received Rs 1,975 lakhs in bonuses, incentives, or variable pay, and Rs 3,903 lakhs from the exercise of stock options.  His remuneration increased by 17.4 per cent from FY23.
 

Martha King, serving as the Chief Client Servicing Officer at Infosys Ltd., receives Rs 3651.6 Lakhs. This remuneration accounts for 0.02 per cent of the company's revenue and 0.14 per cent of its net profit. Similar to the CEO's compensation, her remuneration is a minimal portion of the company's overall financials, demonstrating the company's large scale and operational reach.
 

Puneet Yadu Dalmia, holding the roles of Executive Director, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer at Dalmia Bharat Ltd., has a remuneration of Rs 2333 Lakhs. This translates to 0.16 per cent of the company's revenue and 2.82 per cent of its net profit. His compensation, while lower in absolute terms compared to the IT executives, still reflects a significant role within the Cement & Cement Products industry. His salary includes Rs 2,184 lakhs as fixed pay and Rs 149 lakhs as benefits and perquisites.
 

Mr. Rajiv Bansal, serving as the President and Chief Transformation Officer at Dalmia Bharat Ltd., receives Rs 2195 Lakhs. This accounts for 0.15 per cent of the company's revenue and 2.66 per cent of its net profit. His remuneration increased by 15.6 per cent from FY23. The median remuneration for Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) is Rs 3.42 crore, which is 36 times the salary of employees other than the Board of Directors (BoD) and KMP.
 

In summary, the remuneration across these individuals varies significantly based on their roles and the scale of their respective companies. Executives in larger, high-revenue companies like Infosys have lower percentages of remuneration relative to revenue and net profit, while those in companies like Dalmia Bharat Ltd. have higher percentages, reflecting the different scales of operation and industry norms.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.